PRE-LAW STUDIES

Each year, well-regarded law schools accept able Russell Sage graduates. Undergraduate study at Sage fosters students’ special interest in law and the courts, and provides a sound foundation in the liberal arts.  There are various aspects to Pre-Law Studies at Russell Sage College:

MINOR IN PRE-LAW STUDIES

The 18-credit minor in Pre-Law Studies can be completed by students in almost any major. It is recommended for all students interested in going to law school after graduating from Russell Sage.  It would also be helpful for students who are interested in a law-related career after college, such as jobs in government or in the courts.

The American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar has published a statement on preparation for legal education which has guided the formulation of this minor. According to the ABA, no specific major is or should be required for admission to law schools in the United States. However, undergraduate coursework is recommended that develops skills that can help students prepare for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and that builds a skills and knowledge base that can help students once they reach law school.  The skills referred to by the ABA include: analysis and problem solving; critical reading; writing; oral communication; listening; and, legal research.  The knowledge base includes:  contemporary political systems; history, political theory; ethics and theories of justice; economics; and human behavior.

This minor requires two classes as its core, which meet the writing and legal research skills base recommended by the ABA. The remaining skills and knowledge may be acquired by the other four classes counting toward the minor, which should be different courses in various disciplines to balance the student’s major coursework.  For example, a math major with a Pre-Law Studies minor will probably need a political systems course, while a political science major may need a human behavior course. 

Requirements for Minor in Pre-Law Studies

Courses may be chosen from the following list:

*Note:  Courses chosen must include work so that at least nine credits of the minor are taken outside of your major discipline.

ACCELERATED B.A/J.D. PROGRAM WITH ALBANY LAW SCHOOL

Russell Sage College and Albany Law School have partnered to offer a 3+3 Accelerated Law School program for entering first year students and rising sophomore students who meet certain requirements. Selected students start at Albany Law School after their junior year at Russell Sage. They receive a bachelor's degree from Russell Sage at the end of their first year at Albany Law School, spend the normal three years there, then receive a juris doctorate (J.D.) law degree.

Who should apply to the six year program? Students must be superior prospects to qualify for this program. The admission committees at both Russell Sage College and Albany Law School use grade point average, class rank, SAT scores, and an essay or writing sample as criteria for admission. The Sage Colleges and Albany Law School consider students with 1250 or above on the SAT and rank in the upper 10% of high school graduating class.

Students may seek admission to the accelerated law program after completion of their freshman year at college. In this case, students must have maintained an excellent GPA during their first year of college level study in addition to the SAT and class rank requirements above.

The standards for admission to the 3+3 Program are higher than for ordinary admission; failure to be accepted into this extremely competitive program does not mean that you should not plan to enter Russell Sage with a plan to go to law school.

How do you apply? Entering first year students should tell the admissions counselor with whom they speak that they wish to apply to the 3+3 accelerated law program with Albany Law School. The admissions counselors will screen the admissions material and, if appropriate, send them to Albany Law School for a final decision. Students seeking to apply to the 3+3 program at the end of their first year at Russell Sage should contact Professor Pamela Katz (244-2067) about their intention to apply.

What do you need to do to stay in the program? Students in the Accelerated Law program must choose a major that, along with general education courses, can be completed in three years at Sage. The Pre-Law Advisor can help you select a major that works for the program. Students accepted into the 3+3 program must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 during the three years of undergraduate study at Russell Sage College. In addition, students must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and acheive a score no lower than the median LSAT score for the prior year's entering class at Albany Law School.

PRE-LAW ADVISEMENT

Students interested in law and government have many career options. Sage’s Pre-Law Advisor is available to talk with students and prospective students about law schools and law careers. Pre-Law students at Russell Sage are encouraged to do law-related internships to help them narrow their focus and make contacts in the community. Law students, lawyers and judges visit the campus during the year to talk with students about attending law school and working in business, the legislature, and a variety of other settings.  Albany Law School welcomes student visitors to their classes and, like Sage, is a member of the Hudson-Mohawk Association.

Once a student decides that she is interested attending law school, there is a great deal of planning and preparation. Registration and preparation for the LSAT;  determining where to apply to law school; applying to law school; selecting a school to attend; and more. The Pre-Law Adivsor assists students along the way. Annual workshops for Pre-Law students are supplemented by individual advisement.

PRE-LAW CLUB

There is an active Pre-Law Club on campus where students sharing common goals and aspirations come together. Some recent acitivities of the club include a trip to Washington, D.C. and a visit to Georgetown University Law Center; a visit to Albany Law School, including sitting in on a class and visiting with an RSC graduate; hosting speakers including a representative from an LSAT preparation center, a New York State Assemblyman, the President of the New York State Women's Bar Association, among others.